ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · pound · jam · date · race · hide · stem · craft

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. race — humankind
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. rock — music
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. craft — boats
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — a contest
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com